The Portland daily press., 1887-12-30
WEDNESDAYS GALE.
Damage to the Engine House at
Portland Head.
The Steamer John Brooks Receives
injury.

The gale of Wednesday WAS one of the
worst that has been experienced off this
coast for years. The waves off the Cape
shore were tremendous and washed over the
breakwater in the harbor.
At Portland Head Light Capt. Strout, the
light-keeper says the storm was the worst
he has ever known there. 1t is thought the
light itself might have been in serious dan
ger il il had not been for the great chasm
lying between it and the outer line Of rock
which broke the force of the waves. The
lantern is 100 feet above the sea level, and
the base of the light tower is 40 feet above
the beach. The great seas with a crash
world break on the outer rock, rush into the
chasm, and, accompanied by the terrific
bowling Of the gale, send its spray over the
lantern, and sometimes sheets of solid water,
which would strike with terrible force on
the roof of the keepers house underneath.
A few feet from the keepers house is located
the one story brick building, 25x 25 feet in
size. used for an engine house and fog signal
station. A huge wave struck it and moved
it over eighteen inches from its foundation,
twisting it around in peculiar manner. The
smoke stack was thrown against the fly
wheel and the plastering of the building
cracked and thrown off. Had the storm
continued few hours longer, nothing could
have saved it. Yesterday morning the fog
whistle and engines were tested and found
all right
The steamer John Brooks. lying at RAN
dali & McAllister's wharf, bumped against
the pier with such violence that she was bad
ly damaged. Her side was stove and guards
torn off for forty feet. AT one time Wednes-
day night there was a lively scene aboard
the Brooks. She parted her stern fastenings,
and but for quick work on the part of the
men aboard of her would have swung around
across the slip. Had she doue so, very seri-
GUS damage would inevitably have resulted.
About $500 will repair damages.
The schooner Eva May, which went ashore
at Old Orchard Beach during the last storm
and now lies deeply embedded in the sand,
suffered considerable She is broadside to
the waves, and came near going to pieces 1t
is extremely doubtful if she will be extri-
Gated from her perilous position. The own
ers visited Old Orchard yesterday, and will
make strong efforts to raise her today.
A large boom at Bradford & Sons broke
and about fifty logs and spars drifted out
into the harbor. Some of them were secured
yesterday and others have washed out to
sea.
The schooner Margaret Smith was slightly
damaged by collision with another vessel.
The final on theIupper tower of the Con-
gress Square church was broken off and fell
on the cupola of DR.. Ludwig's house. The
front door of Park street church was blown
in and considerable damage done. The spire
of the Church of the Messiah was twisted
all out Of shape by the gale A railing about
three feet high, which surmounted the roof
of the wooden block, Nos 70 and so Middle
street, was blown off, and in falling brought
down several telephone wires.
At Gorham, n. H., there was heavy fall
of snow, p feet on a level, and freight trains
over the Grand Trunk railway were stopped
there by the storm. On the Quebec branch
Of the Grand Trunk all trains were stopped
for several hours. Yesterday mornings
train to this city came in half an hour late
and had a snow pillow and two locomotives.